Ch. 4: Cultural Dynamics in Assessing Global Markets
Which of the following statements about markets is true? o Markets are in a constant state of flux. o Marketing does not affect markets. o Markets are static. o Markets are independent of cultural influences.
Markets are in a constant state of flux.
What change has happened to American culture and social institutions?
People are spending time with media such as television and the Internet instead of socializing with their families.
Which of the following statements regarding cultures that score high on the Individualism/Collectivism Index is true?
Personal ambition and free will are valued and encouraged in these cultures.
The degree to which a culture will tolerate social inequality between superiors and subordinates is measured by the
Power Distance Index.
Which of the following is true of the similar-but-different aspect of culture?
It can lead people to think that cultures have more in common than they actually do.
The loss of various spoken languages is part of a general
decrease in cultural distinctiveness around the world.
Cultures that score high on the Individualism/Collectivism Index tend to
embrace an "I" mentality.
Which of the following statements about social institutions and their influence on culture is true? o Family time has replaced media time in most western cultures. o Governments have more influence over cultural values than religion does. o The ratio of male children to female children in a country is independent of culture. o Societies become acquainted with most new products via businesses.
Societies become acquainted with most new products via businesses.
Which of the following statements regarding similarities among cultures is true?
Two cultures that speak the same language might interpret certain phrases or words in a very different way.
The Chinese practice of _____ refers to a connection between people and the universe to the energy that supports life and promotes balance and peace in a person's surroundings.
feng shui
When evaluating a situation, a Westerner is more likely to
focus on the central figures and not see much of the background.
Interpersonal relationships are strongly affected by _____ such as family, religion, schools, the media, government, and corporations.
institution
The concept of linguistic distance revolves around the notion that
it is less expensive to do business in a foreign country where people speak a language that is similar to that of the marketer.
Before the birth control pill became widely available, men and women spent more time dealing with
larger numbers of children.
Unlike individualistic societies, collective societies
link people strongly together through close-knit groups.
In most cultures, an infant's first experience with a social institution other than the home is most likely to be
religious.
Patterns of cultural behavior and interaction that are learned and repeated are known as
rituals.
Social institutions that mostly strongly influence values and cultures
schools, churches, families, and the media
In the context of thought processes, Asians
tend to see the entire picture rather than just the foreground when evaluating a situation.
Social institutions
the methods and systems, including family, religion, school, the media, government, and corporations, that affect the ways in which people relate to one another, teach acceptable behavior to succeeding generations, and govern themselves.
Cultural borrowing
the phenomenon by which societies learn from other cultures' ways and borrow ideas to solve problems or improve conditions
Individualism/collectivism index
the preference for behavior that promotes one's self-interest
Marketing concept
the satisfaction of consumer needs and wants at a profit
Which of the following statements about international marketing is true? o Markets are molded by a marketer's promotion and distribution system, the region's economy, and various cultural influences. o Marketers expect consumers to have flexible cultural demands that adapt to market conditions. o Marketers have no influence on a country's culture. o Markets are static entities that do not evolve in response to cultural influences.
Markets are molded by a marketer's promotion and distribution system, the region's economy, and various cultural influences.
Which of the following statements about education as a social institution is true?
Nationwide literacy tends to help a country grow its economy rapidly.
Marketers adapt to changes in their business circumstances through
innovation.
Cultures with high Uncertainty Avoidance Index scores have
no liking for ambiguity.
True or false: Cultural values have nothing to do with a consumer's likelihood of griping about defective products and service failures.
False
Which statement is true of culture? o It exists in the mind of each person. o It affects all marketing activities except pricing. o It does not affect the expansion and contraction of markets. o It does not influence people's consumption habits.
It exists in the mind of each person.
In what way is the culture changing in most countries?
It favors smaller families.
Which of the following statements regarding the European Union is true?
It has led marketers to the false conclusion that there is such a thing as the "European consumer."
Which of the following statements regarding cultural heritage is true?
It is one of the basic traits of human beings.
Which of the following is the geographical argument used by Jared Diamond to theorize why Euro-Asian cultures have sometimes dominated African and American cultures?
It was easier for ideas and information to travel over the Silk Road instead of crossing the Sahara or the Isthmus of Panama.
Which of the following statements about linguistic distance is true?
Large linguistic distances raise the price of international marketing.
True or false: Marketers must be aware that their own cultures affect how they perceive other cultures.
True
True or false: The beliefs of one individual can seem amusing and silly to someone else.
True
A high score on the Individualism/Collective Index indicates
a culture that encourages individual ambition.
Countries have been transitioning from agricultural to industrial to service economies. The result has been _______.
a drop in birthrates
Planned change
a marketing strategy in which a company deliberately sets out to change those aspects of a foreign culture resistant to predetermined marketing goals
The arts, folklore, music, drama, dance, dress, and cosmetics of a culture are known as its
aesthetics.
Unlike a collectivist society, an individualistic society is one in which people
are connected to others, but only in a loose way.
Individuals from cultures that have low Power Distance Index scores
are likely to hold egalitarian beliefs.
In the context of best marketing practices in the European Union, international marketers must
avoid the belief that consumers throughout Europe want to purchase the same products.
A marketer who practices cultural _____ is offering products that are much like what is already being sold, and the new products are offered in a way that fits into the existing culture as much as possible.
congruence
Mastersource Inc., an electronics manufacturer, introduces products that resemble what is already present in the market in order to reduce cultural resistance. Mastersource Inc. is engaging in cultural
congruence.
Philip Parker's work indicates that managers should
consider a region's ambient temperature to be a market segmentation variable.
A responsible effort to learn from the cultural ways of others in the quest for a solution to a society's problems is known as
cultural borrowing.
Paying attention to the fine distinctions of culture so that it can be studied in an open-minded way, assessed, and admired is known as
cultural sensitivity.
Agents of change
entities that actively strive to reshape consumers' beliefs and behaviors
Masculinity/Femininity Index
focuses on assertiveness and achievement
Innovations most easily incorporated into a culture are those that
generate the most interest within society.
The emergence of cola brands such as Mecca Cola and Arab Cola in the Middle East in the 2000s is a reflection of which of the following?
historic events affecting culture
Power Distance Index
measures the tolerance of uncertainty and ambiguity among members of a society
Uncertainty Avoidance Indexx
measures the tolerance of uncertainty and ambiguity among members of a society
Which types of government foundered during the 20th century?
o fascism o communism
Cultures that score low on the Individualism/Collectivism Index tend to
subdue the individual and favor the group.
Which of the following is a mistake sometimes made by marketers?
when doing business in a foreign country, ignoring how seriously the local people take their superstitions
The ______ Index denotes an inclination toward behavior that advances a person's self-interest.
Individualism/Collectivism
Which of the following statements about cultural change is true?
A marketer assessing a society should remember that cultures are constantly changing.
Which of the following statements about the aesthetics of a culture is true?
Aesthetic symbols help customers characterize their own personalities within the context of culture.
Which of the following is a feature of language?
Around the world, the number of spoken languages has been dwindling.
Which of the following is a misconception regarding the economic unification of Europe?
As the economies of European nations are unified, consumers there want to buy the same products and services.
_____ refers to energy that supports life and travels through everyone's body and the environment, including the inside and outside of houses and places of employment.
Ch'i
Which of the following is the most likely reason for governments having relatively little influence on cultural values when compared to family, religion, school, and the media?
Cultural values are usually set before and during adolescence.
Which of the following statements regarding cultural values is true?
Cultural values can help marketers predict which consumers are most apt to buy something on impulse.
________ is the sum of the values, rituals, symbols, beliefs, and thought processes that are learned and shared by a group of people, then transmitted from generation to generation.
Culture
_________ is the sum of the values, rituals, symbols, beliefs, and thought processes that are learned and shared by a group of people, then transmitted from generation to generation.
Culture
True or false: The "planned change" marketing strategy involves introducing a product to an unprepared market and hoping for the best.
False
Which of the following statements is true? o The effect of religion on a society's value system is negligible and can be overlooked by marketers. o American culture has overcome the detrimental effects of too much media by replacing media time with family time. o Roles and status positions in society cannot be dictated by social institutions. o Governments have little influence over cultural values when compared to school, religion, family, and the media.
Governments have little influence over cultural values when compared to school, religion, family, and the media.
Which of the following statements about Jared Diamond's research regarding the influence of geography on international marketing is true? o He claimed that new ideas moved more quickly from east to west than from north to south. o He claimed that a country's climate has direct influence on a worker's wages. o He stated that the per capita GDP of a country is directly related to its latitudes. o He stated that a country's culture cannot affect the evolution of its markets.
He claimed that new ideas moved more quickly from east to west than from north to south.
Philip Parker said geography influences economics in what way?
He contended that a country's latitude strongly affects its per capita GDP.
Randy works for a large manufacturing company. Though he is in management, his anxiety and stress levels are low. He likes to brainstorm with his colleagues and is open to exploring new ideas and taking risks. Which of the following is true of Randy?
His Uncertainty Avoidance Index score is low.
Which of the following statements about the origins of culture is true? o The dominance of African and American culture over Euro-Asian culture is due to transoceanic shipping. o A country's political economy has very little effect on a culture and ways of thinking. o Historic events can affect technology, social institutions, culture, and behavior. o A country's culture is independent of geographical influences.
Historic events can affect technology, social institutions, culture, and behavior.
Which of the following statements regarding international marketing is true? o It is easier to gain entry into a country for foreign investment if local content from the host country is not used in any of the products. o Innovations spread faster from north to south than from east to west. o It is easier to communicate with consumers who can read and write than with people who can understand only symbols. o Workers' wages are unaffected by a country's climate.
It is easier to communicate with consumers who can read and write than with people who can understand only symbols.
Which of the following statements regarding culture in international marketing is true? o Cultural influences do not affect the expansion and contraction of markets. o The marketer's interaction with the local culture determines whether the marketing will fail or succeed. o The way people consume has little to do with their culture. o Culture is important to all aspects of marketing except pricing.
The marketer's interaction with the local culture determines whether the marketing will fail or succeed.
Which of the following statements about rituals is true?
The most obvious rituals take place when people are experiencing turning points in their lives.
Cultural values
The system of beliefs and customs held by a population in a given culture.
Which of the following best explains the effect of birth control techniques on men's lives in the past 50 years?
They gave men more time to spend with their children.
Which of the following statements about individuals from cultures with high Power Distance Index scores is true?
They tend to distrust people who are not part of their groups.
Which of the following statements regarding the change in family as a social institution is true?
Women are delaying marriage, especially in Asia.
Which of the following statements regarding the change in family as a social institution is true? o In the United States, fewer women are having children outside of marriage. o India has mostly abandoned its tradition of arranged marriages. o Women are delaying marriage, especially in Asia. o Japan's population is increasing dramatically as young adults marry early and have numerous children.
Women are delaying marriage, especially in Asia.
Cultural congruence
a marketing strategy in which products are marketed in a similar way to the marketing of products already in the market in a manner as congruent as possible with existing cultural norms
Cultural values and consumer behavior
a variety of studies have shown cultural values can predict such consumer behaviors as status consumption of luxury goods, brand-switching as a group, tendency to share based on time perceptions, consuming with immediate vs. long-term goals in mind, word-of-mouth communications, impulsive buying, responses of both surprise and disgust, the propensity to complain, responses to service failures, movie preferences, and the influence of perceptions of product creativity
People from cultures with low Power Distance Index scores often say that _____ is a source of power.
achievement
In the context of international marketing, culture
affects the way consumer prioritize the things they desire and the things they need.
Individuals from cultures with high Uncertainty Avoidance Index scores
are likely to believe that obeying the rules is the best way to avoid risk.
Jared Diamond
o Author of Guns, Germs, and Steel o Geography is the key to inequality o Innovations spread faster east to west than north to south o Before the advent of transoceanic shipping, ideas flowed over the Silk Road but not across the Sahara or the Isthmus of Panama o Uses the geographical approach to explain the dominance of Euro-Asian cultures over native African and American cultures
Which of the following are advantages of cultural sensitivity in international marketing?
o It reduces strife between marketers and their customers. o It enables communication between marketers and consumers.
How has the availability of birth control affected families throughout the world?
o Many women are waiting longer to have children. o Families have fewer children. o More women are waiting longer to get married.
What are the four primary dimensions along which the cultures of nations differ, according to Geert Hofstede?
o Power Distance Index o Uncertainty Avoidance Index o Masculinity/Femininity Index o Individualism/Collectivism Index
Philip Parker
o Reports strong correlations between the latitude (climate) and the per capita GDP of countries o Argues for geography's deep influence on history, economics, and consumer behavior o Climate influences works' wages
Which of the following are characteristic of global marketers who understand cultural differences that affect their business operations?
o They anticipate changes in markets where they are presently doing business. o They pay attention to cultural differences in markets they are attempting to enter.
Which of the following are characteristics of global marketers who understand cultural differences that affect their business operations? o They anticipate changes in markets where they are presently doing business. o They have limited influence on a country's culture and cannot bring about change. o They expect consumers to have flexible cultural demands that adapt to market conditions. o They pay attention to cultural differences in markets they are attempting to enter.
o They anticipate changes in markets where they are presently doing business. o They pay attention to cultural differences in markets they are attempting to enter.
How do social institutions affect cultural values?
o They influence people to live in peace together. o They teach each new generation how to act in an acceptable way.
Which of the following statements regarding cultural borrowing is true?
o When people are introduced to a belief or practice from another culture and they approve of it, they incorporate it into their own culture. o Borrowed cultural facets are combined in such a way that they become unique to a particular society.
Cultural sensitivity
o an awareness of the nuances of culture so that a culture can be viewed objectively, evaluated, and appreciated o an important part of foreign marketing.
Which types of government competed globally throughout most of the 20th century? o monarchy o communism o fascism o democracy o colonialism
o communism o fascism o democracy o colonialism
Culture
o composed of behaviors and values, the seen and unseen, that are learned, shared, and transmitted by a group of people o the sum of the values, rituals, symbols, beliefs, and thought processes that are learned and shared by a group of people and transmitted from generation to generation
Which of the following will cause the countries within the European Union to become increasingly similar in what they need, what they want, and how they behave in the economic market?
o global mass communications o countries depending more on one another, both economically and socially
People who come from cultures with high Power Distance Index scores often say that power and social status are derived from
o inheritance. o social roles. o manipulation.
To be culturally sensitive, an international marketer should
o know how people resist change within their cultures. encourage wide linguistic distances. o recognize how cultures change. o understand how a culture began and what its essential beliefs are.
Aesthetics
o philosophically, the creation and appreciation of beauty o collectively, the arts, including folklore, music, drama, and dance.
Which of the following have the greatest effect on values and culture?
o schools o the media o families
A culture is most likely to accept something new when _____.
o the innovation will not disrupt existing beliefs and behaviors very much o people have some reason to be quite interested in the innovation
Linguistic distance
o the measure of difference between languages o an important factor in determining the amount of trade between nations
Which of the following features are associated with cultures that score low on the Uncertainty Avoidance Index?
o willing to take risks o willing to put up with people who deviate from normal behavior o not much anxiety and stress
Rituals
patterns of behavior and interaction that are learned and repeated
Collectivism
pertains to societies in which people from birth onward are integrated into strong, cohesive groups, which throughout people's lifetimes continue to protect them in exchange for unquestioning loyalty
Individualism
pertains to societies in which the ties between individuals are loose
What marketing strategy involves launching an effort to alter anything about a culture that stands in the way of the marketer's sales goals?
planned change
Corporations alter cultures and prompt new ideas by
skillfully distributing innovative products and services.
Cultures are always changing, and yet
they also resist change, which is one of their fundamental attributes.
An individual who scores low on the Individualism/Collectivism Index is most likely to
think in terms of "we" instead of "I."
Cultures that score high on the Uncertainty Avoidance Index
value security and try to always follow the rules.
